2010 ST. BONAVENTURE UNIVERSITY MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE
Security Council My name is Adam O’Neill, and I will be your chair for the conference. I am a dual-major in Political Science and History, so chairing something that incorporates both the history of such an important organization and global politics is something that I look forward to. I am a senior at St. Bonaventure, and as such, this will be my last year doing Model UN. I am currently in the process of applying to graduate schools in New York to get my Masters in Adolescence Education so that one day I can teach Social Studies to 7th to 12th graders. I look forward to work with you, I hope you have fun while you are here, and I also look forward to see what you bring to the table. Security Council Reform The Security Council was created in 1946 immediately after the United Nations Charter was signed on October of 1945. The main purpose of the Security Council is to ensure the safety and security of all member states, and it is one of the five principal organs that make up the United Nations (UN). The Security Council is set up in such a way that it is always ready to respond to any situation that may come up that requires UN involvement. There are five permanent members, The United States, Russia, China, France, and The United Kingdom, as well as ten rotating members that do not have veto power. The current Security Council is set up by the winners of World War II, and as such these nations were considered to be the ones most appropriately able to handle global crises. 55-years later, although World War II is still in the minds of many people, the politics of today’s society are not that of 1945. Many emerging countries today were less developed nations in 1945 and could be the world’s next superpower. The new nations that have been proposed have been selected for their regional importance as well as their importance to global politics. Four contenders that seem to be in serious contention for permanent membership are Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan. There is talk as well of bringing in an African delegation as well as a delegation from the Muslim world. While you are discussing this there are a few concerns that need to be addressed: Will these new permanent members be able to express veto power like the current permanent members do now? What does your country believe is the best course of action, one, for itself, two for the nations being considered? If your country is not being considered for permanent membership how might you still be able to express your concern to the whole reform topic? Does your country believe that Security Council reform is a good thing? How might we best address the issue of religious, cultural, and regional differences that comes with this new proposal? Helpful Links: http://www.centerforunreform.org/node/414 http://archive2.globalsolutions.org/issues/security_council_reform http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/global/06696.pdf http://www.centerforunreform.org/system/files/Managing+Change++1.+Reform+of+the+Security+Council.pdf Global Security in Regards to Cyber-Terrorism This is a topic that has the potential to affect the world community as a whole, not just the world’s most powerful nations. We now live in a society where computers run our day to day lives. They are responsible for ensuring and regulating the security of national defenses, managing the economies in almost all developed countries, and establishing communication for people from all over the globe. However, the more advanced and sophisticated computer technology is getting the greater the danger is that computers can be used for terrorist-related activates. The Stuxnet Virus has made an impact in many countries because of the threats it poses. It has attacked computers throughout the world and had caused damage to the Iranian nuclear facilities in September. While the Stuxnet virus has recently been a threat, it is not the only threat that should be considered. Since we now live in a global economy, anything that happens to the economy of a developed country is going to be felt by many nations around the world. The safety of nuclear weapons and power plants around the globe are also at risk. The telecommunications industry; without global communications the world today would be sent back 150 years. While you are discussing this there are a few concerns that need to be addressed: Without violating state sovereignty, what is the best way to ensure global security to cyber-attacks? How might your country respond to cyber-attacks, perhaps the ones described above? Is there a way to prevent this from occurring in the first place? What kind of safeguards does your country have in place to prevent such a thing from happening? Helpful Links: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/cuba/oagmc029.htm http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/nov/29/hacking.news http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39102447 http://politicom.moldova.org/news/cyber-warfare-a-new-kind-of-security-threat-206145-eng.html http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3833131/Cyber-War-Could-Cause-Global-Collateral-Damage.htm The Situation in North Korea For years the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) has had an aggressive or unresponsive attitude towards the international community as a whole. 50 years ago, a war between the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and North Korea broke out which caused not only those two nations to get involved, but changed global politics and tested the United Nations for the first time. After World War II, the Allied powers split the country of Korea in two at the 38th parallel. Today, this is the border between North and South Korea. The leaders of North Korea have ignored UN sanctions, defied western powers not to build a nuclear program, and have maintained this aggressive attitude especially toward the United States. On July 7, 1950, the United Nations Security Council, UNSC, adopted UNSC Resolution 83 which gave the United Nations authorization to aid South Korea whatever way possible. This effectively started the Korean War. With the United States’ policy of containment, the policy of ensuring Communism does not spread any further than it has, the United States was at the forefront of the conflict and aided South Korea to push back North Korean forces back beyond the 38th parallel. Today not much has changed; nothing has been accomplished with significance to improve the situation with North Korea. Other than the hostilities and the possible nuclear weapons, there have also been clear violations of human rights. Public executions and forced labor camps are present throughout the country. In addressing the situation in North Korea, all areas of global politics need to be considered. Think about this when you are looking for research: What is your country’s position on the situation in North Korea? How should we address North Korea’s nuclear program? Should the sovereignty of North Korea be infringed to ensure the protection of all member states? What should be done in regards to human rights violations? Helpful Links: http://www.newsbatch.com/korea.htm http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=36843&Cr=korea&Cr1 http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/06/14/eu-try-improve-human-rights-north-korea http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/northkorea/index.html
MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE
Security Council
My name is Adam O’Neill, and I will be your chair for the conference. I am a dual-major in Political Science and History, so chairing something that incorporates both the history of such an important organization and global politics is something that I look forward to. I am a senior at St. Bonaventure, and as such, this will be my last year doing Model UN. I am currently in the process of applying to graduate schools in New York to get my Masters in Adolescence Education so that one day I can teach Social Studies to 7th to 12th graders. I look forward to work with you, I hope you have fun while you are here, and I also look forward to see what you bring to the table.
Security Council Reform
The Security Council was created in 1946 immediately after the United Nations Charter was signed on October of 1945. The main purpose of the Security Council is to ensure the safety and security of all member states, and it is one of the five principal organs that make up the United Nations (UN). The Security Council is set up in such a way that it is always ready to respond to any situation that may come up that requires UN involvement. There are five permanent members, The United States, Russia, China, France, and The United Kingdom, as well as ten rotating members that do not have veto power.
The current Security Council is set up by the winners of World War II, and as such these nations were considered to be the ones most appropriately able to handle global crises. 55-years later, although World War II is still in the minds of many people, the politics of today’s society are not that of 1945. Many emerging countries today were less developed nations in 1945 and could be the world’s next superpower. The new nations that have been proposed have been selected for their regional importance as well as their importance to global politics. Four contenders that seem to be in serious contention for permanent membership are Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan. There is talk as well of bringing in an African delegation as well as a delegation from the Muslim world.
While you are discussing this there are a few concerns that need to be addressed: Will these new permanent members be able to express veto power like the current permanent members do now? What does your country believe is the best course of action, one, for itself, two for the nations being considered? If your country is not being considered for permanent membership how might you still be able to express your concern to the whole reform topic? Does your country believe that Security Council reform is a good thing? How might we best address the issue of religious, cultural, and regional differences that comes with this new proposal?
Helpful Links:
http://www.centerforunreform.org/node/414
http://archive2.globalsolutions.org/issues/security_council_reform
http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/global/06696.pdf
http://www.centerforunreform.org/system/files/Managing+Change++1.+Reform+of+the+Security+Council.pdf
Global Security in Regards to Cyber-Terrorism
This is a topic that has the potential to affect the world community as a whole, not just the world’s most powerful nations. We now live in a society where computers run our day to day lives. They are responsible for ensuring and regulating the security of national defenses, managing the economies in almost all developed countries, and establishing communication for people from all over the globe. However, the more advanced and sophisticated computer technology is getting the greater the danger is that computers can be used for terrorist-related activates.
The Stuxnet Virus has made an impact in many countries because of the threats it poses. It has attacked computers throughout the world and had caused damage to the Iranian nuclear facilities in September. While the Stuxnet virus has recently been a threat, it is not the only threat that should be considered. Since we now live in a global economy, anything that happens to the economy of a developed country is going to be felt by many nations around the world. The safety of nuclear weapons and power plants around the globe are also at risk. The telecommunications industry; without global communications the world today would be sent back 150 years.
While you are discussing this there are a few concerns that need to be addressed: Without violating state sovereignty, what is the best way to ensure global security to cyber-attacks? How might your country respond to cyber-attacks, perhaps the ones described above? Is there a way to prevent this from occurring in the first place? What kind of safeguards does your country have in place to prevent such a thing from happening?
Helpful Links:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/cuba/oagmc029.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/nov/29/hacking.news
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39102447
http://politicom.moldova.org/news/cyber-warfare-a-new-kind-of-security-threat-206145-eng.html
http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3833131/Cyber-War-Could-Cause-Global-Collateral-Damage.htm
The Situation in North Korea
For years the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) has had an aggressive or unresponsive attitude towards the international community as a whole. 50 years ago, a war between the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and North Korea broke out which caused not only those two nations to get involved, but changed global politics and tested the United Nations for the first time. After World War II, the Allied powers split the country of Korea in two at the 38th parallel. Today, this is the border between North and South Korea. The leaders of North Korea have ignored UN sanctions, defied western powers not to build a nuclear program, and have maintained this aggressive attitude especially toward the United States.
On July 7, 1950, the United Nations Security Council, UNSC, adopted UNSC Resolution 83 which gave the United Nations authorization to aid South Korea whatever way possible. This effectively started the Korean War. With the United States’ policy of containment, the policy of ensuring Communism does not spread any further than it has, the United States was at the forefront of the conflict and aided South Korea to push back North Korean forces back beyond the 38th parallel.
Today not much has changed; nothing has been accomplished with significance to improve the situation with North Korea. Other than the hostilities and the possible nuclear weapons, there have also been clear violations of human rights. Public executions and forced labor camps are present throughout the country. In addressing the situation in North Korea, all areas of global politics need to be considered.
Think about this when you are looking for research: What is your country’s position on the situation in North Korea? How should we address North Korea’s nuclear program? Should the sovereignty of North Korea be infringed to ensure the protection of all member states? What should be done in regards to human rights violations?
Helpful Links:
http://www.newsbatch.com/korea.htm
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=36843&Cr=korea&Cr1
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/06/14/eu-try-improve-human-rights-north-korea
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/northkorea/index.html